[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 220 (Tuesday, November 16, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67176-67177]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-25385]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary


Submission for OMB Review: Comment Request

November 5, 2004.
    The Department of Labor (DOL) has submitted the following public 
information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. chapter 35). A copy of 
this ICR, with applicable supporting documentation, may be obtained by 
contacting Darrin King on 202-693-4129 (this is not a toll-free number) 
or e-mail: [email protected].
    Comments should be sent to Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for the Mine Safety and Health 
Administration (MSHA), Office of Management and Budget, Room 10235, 
Washington, DC 20503, 202-395-7316 (this is not a toll-free number), 
within 30 days from the date of this publication in the Federal 
Register.
    The OMB is particularly interested in comments which:
     Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
     Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
     Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
     Minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting 
electronic submission of responses.
    Agency: Mine Safety and Health Administration.
    Type of Review: Extension of currently approved collection.
    Title: Mine Accident, Injury & Illness Report and Quarterly Mine 
Employment and Coal Production Report (30 CFR 50.10; 50.11, 50.20 and 
50.30).
    OMB Number: 1219-0007.
    Forms: MSHA 7000-1 and MSHA 7000-2.
    Frequency: On occasion and Quarterly.
    Type of Response: Recordkeeping and Reporting.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 26,250.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                      Average
                    Collection of information                         Annual       response time   Annual burden
                                                                     responses        (hours)          hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MSHA Form 7000-1
    Immediate Notification of MSHA
        fatal accidents.........................................              56            0.50              28

[[Page 67177]]

 
        other accidents.........................................           1,543            0.50             772
    Investigation of Accidents and Occupational Injuries
        fatal accidents.........................................              56           80.00           4,480
        nonfatal accidents......................................           1,631           16.00          26,096
        other accidents.........................................          12,735            1.00          12,735
    Separate Reports of Investigation (mines w/ 20+ empl.)
        fatal accidents.........................................              36            4.00             144
        other accidents.........................................          11,424            1.00          11,424
    Mine Accident, Injury, and Illness Reports
        initial reports.........................................          14,422            0.50           7,211
        follow-up reports.......................................           7,055            0.33           2,328
                                                                 -----------------
            Form 7000-1 Sub-total...............................          48,958  ..............          65,218
                                                                 -----------------
MSHA Form 7000-2
        Mailed Reponses.........................................          74,401            0.50          37,201
        Electronic Responses....................................          10,493            0.25           2,623
                                                                 -----------------
            Form 7000-1 Sub-total...............................          84,894  ..............          39,824
                                                                 -----------------
            Grand Total.........................................         133,852  ..............         105,042
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Total Annualized capital/startup costs: $0.
    Total Annual Costs (operating/maintaining systems or purchasing 
services): $34,105.
    Description: The reporting and recordkeeping provisions in 30 CFR 
part 50, Notification, Investigation, Reports and Records of Accidents, 
Injuries and Illnesses, Employment and Coal Production in Mines, are 
essential elements in MSHA's Congressional mandate to reduce work-
related injuries and illnesses among the nation's miners.
    Section 50.10 requires mine operators and mining contractors to 
immediately notify MSHA in the event of an accident. This immediate 
notification is critical to MSHA's timely investigation and assessment 
of the probable cause of the accident.
    Section 50.11 requires that the operator or contractor investigate 
each accident and occupational injury and prepare a report. The 
operator or contractor may not use MSHA Form 7000-1 as a report, unless 
the mine employs fewer than 20 miners and the occurrence involves an 
occupational injury not related to an accident.
    Section 50.20(a) requires mine operators and mining contractors to 
report each accident, injury, or illness to MSHA on Form 7000-1 within 
10 working days after an accident or injury has occurred or an 
occupational illness has been diagnosed. The use of MSHA Form 7000-1 
provides for uniform information gathering across the mining industry.
    MSHA tabulates and analyzes the information from MSHA Form 7000-1, 
along with data from MSHA Form 7000-2, to compute incidence and 
severity rates for various injury types. These rates are used to 
analyze trends and to assess the degree of success of the health and 
safety efforts of MSHA and the mining industry.
    Accident, injury, and illness data when correlated with employment 
and production data provide information that allows MSHA to improve its 
safety and health enforcement programs, focus its education and 
training efforts, and establish priorities for its technical assistance 
activities in mine safety and health. Maintaining a current database 
allows MSHA to identify and direct increased attention to those mines, 
industry segments, and geographical areas where hazardous trends are 
developing. This could not be done effectively utilizing historical 
data. The information collected under part 50 is the most comprehensive 
and reliable occupational data available concerning the mining 
industry.
    Section 103(d) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 
(Mine Act) mandates that each accident be investigated by the operator 
to determine the cause and means of preventing a recurrence. Records of 
such accidents and investigations shall be kept and made available to 
the Secretary or his authorized representative and the appropriate 
State agency. Section 103(h) requires operators to keep any records and 
make any reports that are reasonably necessary for MSHA to perform its 
duties under the Mine Act. Section 103(j) of the Mine Act requires 
operators to notify MSHA of the occurrence of an accident and to take 
appropriate measures to preserve any evidence which would assist in the 
investigation into the cause or causes of the accident.
    Data collected through MSHA Form 7000-1 and MSHA Form 7000-2 enable 
MSHA to publish timely quarterly and annual statistics, reflecting 
current safety and health conditions in the mining industry. These data 
are used not only by MSHA, but also by other Federal and State 
agencies, health and safety researchers, and the mining community to 
assist in measuring and comparing the results of health and safety 
efforts both in the United States and internationally.

Ira L. Mills,
Departmental Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 04-25385 Filed 11-15-04; 8:45 am]
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